Marine Biology research at MBARI —
Microscopic life in the open ocean
Microscopic life in the open ocean
Some marine biologists at MBARI study microscopic algae and microbes that live in the open ocean. Their specific areas of research include:
The ecology and genetics of microscopic marine algae- Green evolution on the blue planet (PDF file--Article from 2008 Annual Report)
- Genes from tiny marine algae suggest unsuspected avenues for new research (News Release)
- Molecular Microbial Ecology (Researcher web site)
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MBARI lead researcher in this field:
Alexandra Worden (Microbial ecologist)
Using automated biochemical analyses to study marine algae and microbes- First sea trials for deep-ocean robotic DNA lab (Photo essay)
- MBARI researchers perform first automated analysis of genetic material in the deep sea (News brief)
- Robotic DNA lab helps scientists study microscopic marine life on Earth and other planets (Feature story)
- Undersea genetics lab detects marine microbes and toxins
(PDF file—Article from 2006 MBARI Annual Report) - New instrument enables remote detection of toxic algae in real time (News Release)
- Molecular probes link sea lion deaths to toxic algal bloom (News Release)
- The deep-sea Environmental Sample Processor (part of the MARS ocean observatory web site)
- Undersea genetics lab detects marine microbes and toxins (20th-Anniversary article)
- The Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) (Researcher web site)
- Detecting harmful algal blooms using DNA (Researcher web site)
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MBARI lead researcher in this field:
Chris Scholin (Molecular biologist)
Interactions between marine algae, other marine organisms, ocean chemistry, and climate- MBARI scientist leads cruise to study how changing ocean conditions affect marine algae (News brief)
- Ocean acidification may affect photosynthesis in marine algae (News brief)
- Subtropical oceans add oxygen to atmosphere (News brief)
- Antarctic Icebergs: hotspots of ocean life (News release)
- Tiny marine organisms reflect ocean warming (News release)
- Marine picophytoplankton roles in global carbon cycling and community interactions in a changing ocean (Researcher web site)
- Quantifying changes in marine and terrestrial environments
(PDF file—Article from 2004 MBARI Annual Report)
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MBARI lead researchers in this field:
Ken Johnson (Chemist)
Francisco Chavez (Biological oceanographer)
Alexandra Worden (Microbial ecologist)
Algal blooms and red tides- Scientists report first remote, underwater detection of harmful algae, toxins (NOAA news release)
- New insights on red tides and harmful algal blooms in Monterey Bay (Flash presentation)
- Researchers combine forces to explain unusual seabird deaths (News brief)
- Canyons, currents, and algal blooms (Feature story)
- Immense algal blooms follow El Niño events (News brief)
- New instrument enables remote detection of toxic algae in real time (News Release)
- Molecular probes link sea lion deaths to toxic algal bloom (News Release)
- Seeing the future in the stratified sea
(PDF file—Article from 2006 MBARI Annual Report) - When the California Current impacts Monterey Bay
(PDF file—Article from 2005 MBARI Annual Report) - The Coastal Ocean Processes research group (Researcher web page)
- The Biological Oceanography Group - biogeochemistry projects (Researcher web page)
- Biogeochemical cycles (Researcher web page)
- Detecting harmful algal blooms using DNA (Researcher web site)
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MBARI lead researchers in this field:
John Ryan (Oceanographer)
Francisco Chavez (Biological oceanographer)
Chris Scholin (Molecular biologist)
Iron and algal blooms- Moss Landing researchers reveal iron as key to climate change (News release)
- Marine scientists question commercial plans for ocean fertilization. (News Brief)
- The role of iron in regulating climate – what we don't understand about its ocean chemistry but need to know (News brief)
- Iron in the ocean—Catalyst for phytoplankton growth and climate change (News release)
- Logbook from SOFEX oceanographic cruise to study the effects of adding iron to ocean waters
- Research cruise investigates iron's role in the ocean (Feature story)
- MOOS Upper-water-column science experiment (Researcher web page)
- Scientists link iron in sediments to coastal production (News release)
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MBARI lead researchers in this field:
Ken Johnson (Chemist)
Francisco Chavez (Biological oceanographer)
Marine bacteria and archaea- DNA from the deep (Feature story)
- Discovering the diversity and importance of marine microbes (MBARI 20th-anniversary article)
- Proteorhodopsin discovery—A new photopigment in oceanic bacteria (MBARI 20th-anniversary article)
- Genomic tools reveal new microbial phototrophs in the ocean (News release)
- Scientists describe variation in oceanic bacterial photopigments that convert light into biochemical energy (News release)
- Researchers discover new oceanic bacterial photopigment that converts light into biochemical energy (News release)
- Former MBARI researcher in this field:
Edward Delong (Molecular microbiologist--now at MIT)